Citation

de Oliveira AJM, Solari PN. World Neurosurg. 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.wneu.2020.07.152

PMID

32730976

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a global problem and is the greatest contributor to death and disability among all trauma-related injuries worldwide. Road traffic accidents (RTA) are an important cause of TBI. The purpose of this paper is to present the first data on TBI in Angola.

METHODS: This was a retrospective study of the clinical and radiological profile of patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of a tertiary hospital in Luanda, Angola, from January 2018 to December 2018. The medical records of patients with moderate and severe TBI admitted to the ICU were reviewed. The inclusion criteria were adult patients who suffered from TBI. The exclusion criteria were incomplete medical records, pediatric age, and mild TBI.

RESULTS: 29 patients (6 female) with a mean age of 31 years were included. Of them, 31% visited the hospital without an ambulance (using private or commercial vehicles), 58.6% suffered from severe TBI, and the mortality rate in our sample was 34.5%. Road accident was the most frequent cause of trauma.

CONCLUSION: This first report of TBI in Angola reveals major problems with TBI management, road accident prevention, pre-hospital management, and loss of lives of young patients.

Language: en

Keywords

Traumatic brain injury; Road accidents; Angola; Neurosurgery